50,000 pounds of food the goal of anti-hunger initiative in Omaha schools

Omaha area elementary and middle schools will participate in an anti-hunger initiative for the second year.

Schools participating in Making the Grade to End Hunger collect food for Together Omaha. Making the Grade begins next week, and this year it involves Westside, Millard, and Elkhorn schools in addition to OPS ones.

Mike Hornacek, executive director of Together Omaha, says 20 schools participated last year, with 21,000 pounds of food collected. The goal this year is 50 schools and 50,000 pounds of food. He says if that goal is reached, it would provide enough food through the end of 2012.

Together Omaha provides food to 17 organizations helping people in need. They’re one of three USDA-approved food banks in Nebraska.

Hornacek says while the need for donations isn’t as critical as it has been in prior months, there’s still a food shortage with no real reserve available.